NTRODUCTION
Ufone GSM is a Pakistani GSM cellular service provider. It is one of six GSM Mobile companies in Pakistan and is a subsidiary of Pakistan Telecommunication Company. The company commenced its operations under the brand name of Ufone from Islamabad on January 29 2001. U fone expanded its coverage and has added new cities and highways to its coverage network. After the privatization of PTCL, U fone is now owned by Etisalat. PTML is a wholly owned subsidiary of PTCL. established to operate cellular telephony. The company commenced its operations, under the brand name of Ufone from Islamabad on January 29 2001.
During the year, as a consequence of PTCL’s privatization, 26% of its shares were acquired by Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat). Being part of PTCL, the management of Ufone has also been handed over to Etisalat. During the year July 2005 to June 2006, Ufone continued on the path to success. The Company further expanded its coverage and has added new cities and highways. Ufone has network coverage in more than 750 cities, towns and across all major highways of the country. During the year Ufone successfully completed the network expansion of Phase 4 in existing as well as in new cities and towns which amounted to more than US Dollar 170 million. As a result the asset base of the Company has increased from Rs. 20 billion to Rs. 27 billion. Future Plans Keeping in view the growth potential of the cellular industry there is no option but to be aggressive in order to remain a potent force in the cellular industry. In order to extend cellular network to new cities, towns and highways and enhance its current installed capacities in existing cities, Ufone has finalized a huge network expansion contract amounting to about USD 550 million, which will enhance the subscribers’ capacity by 10 million. This is the largest ever expansion project of